


This is How it Starts

by keylimepie



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Awkward Crush, Campfires, Cute Kids, Dorks in Love, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, S'mores, Sappy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-26 12:20:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13857678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keylimepie/pseuds/keylimepie
Summary: Nico is adjusting to life in camp after he's released from the infirmary. He's also realizing that his feelings for his doctor are a little more than friendship and gratitude. How is he going to deal with this awkward crush, especially when Solace is trying so hard to be a good friend to him?Also features Nico eating s'mores and being adorable with lots and lots of little Apollo campers.





	This is How it Starts

**Author's Note:**

> I can't help it, I just need to keep making these two awkwardly crush on each other over and over in various ways. They are so precious. Can't decide if this is a first chapter or just another one-shot.

It had been a few days since Nico had officially been released from the infirmary, and his life at Camp Half Blood had started to settle into a routine. Though he was not able to participate in everything quite yet - Will still insisted on no strenuous activity and absolutely no Underworldy powers - he had been showing up to regular mealtimes, classes, and even practice, though he simply sat on the side and observed the other fighters, making mental notes about habits and weaknesses. He was starting to realize just how much there was to life at the camp. 

He’d spent the afternoon free period napping, and had just woken up in time for dinner. Though it was lonely at his table, it was at least somewhat interesting to watch the other kids joking and goofing around with their siblings. Maybe he did spend a little more time watching the back of a certain mop of shaggy blond hair than any of the others. Every once in a while, Will would turn to one side or another to speak to another Apollo kid, and it was nice to see his face, though Nico quickly looked away before those blue eyes could spot him looking. 

Nico had finished dinner and was walking away from the dining pavilion to head back to his cabin when Will Solace tapped him on the shoulder. “Hey,” he said. Nico turned around. Will still had a hand on his shoulder, and was looking at him, but didn’t speak. He wondered if this was yet another check-up, was Will worried about his health again already? His shoulder felt warm and tingly where Will was touching it, but it didn’t feel like it did when Will was using healing powers. Nico thought he’d gotten accustomed to Will’s touches during his infirmary stay, but this one had his heart racing the way the clinical moments in the infirmary really hadn’t. 

“What’s up, Solace?” Nico said at last. 

“Oh, um. You’re coming to the campfire tonight, right?” 

Nico thought. He remembered campfires from a few years back when he’d attended a few. Songs, stories, delicious snacks. “If there’s chocolate, I’m in.” 

Will laughed, though Nico didn’t think that’d been particularly funny. “I can promise you a s’more. A deluxe s’more. A Will Solace hand-crafted just-for-you s’more.” 

“Sounds good. See you later, I guess,” Nico said. His eyes flicked quickly toward Will’s face, sipping in that vision of blue eyes and freckles, before turning and walking toward his cabin. It was too much, too much to deal with while standing here next to the dining pavilion with campers milling around. Will Solace was just too much. 

Nico finally made it to his cabin and shut the door behind him, breathing in deeply once he was securely in his refuge. He leaned his back against the door and slid down, and sat on the floor. The more he tried not to think about Will, the harder it was to get him out of his head. Not only was he replaying snippets of what Will had looked like at various moments, or things that he’d said, but now he was imagining Will putting his arms around him and kissing him. And just like that, once the thought was there it could not be banished. 

Nico groaned and buried his face in his hands. Oh, he had it bad. What a complete disaster. Will really wanted to be his friend too, and he was just going to be an awkward mess around him if he couldn’t get this under control quickly. He briefly considered going to find Jason Grace and asking him for advice, but he decided against it. For all he knew, talking about it would make it worse. What if his brain got stuck and he could never think about anything else but kissing Will Solace, or - oh great, now he’d added slow dancing to the image - for the rest of his life? 

He bustled around his cabin, cleaning up, wondering if it would be enough of a distraction. He put laundry away, dusted the altar carefully, then spent a few minutes scrubbing the bathroom. Nico wasn’t sure he’d ever scrubbed a toilet before, and though he wrinkled his nose at the task, he supposed he was the only person who was going to do it. He made a mental note to ask his dad about a zombie maid, too. Will had given him doctor’s notes to excuse him from strenuous chores, including exempting his cabin from inspection, but he didn’t think that would last forever. 

He was about to attack the smudged, dusty windows with vinegar and a rag when he realized that it was probably time to start gathering for the campfire. He considered just staying in his cabin. But he’d promised Will, and Will might worry, and he’d feel bad if Will decided to come to his cabin and check on him, though the idea gave him a thrill that he decided not to analyze too closely. Nico ran a comb through his hair, washed his face, and then headed toward the amphitheater. 

Campers were trickling in and finding seats near their friends. Nico was halfway up to a deserted part at the top of the bleachers when he heard Will calling him over. He sighed and turned back around. Will was patting the seat next to him, right down at the very bottom row. Of course, if he wanted Solace to make him a s’more, it only stood to reason he’d had to sit near him somewhere. 

Nico made his way toward Will, who was a vision of blue in denim cut-offs, a blue tank top with some kind of hiking trail logo, and of course those eyes. Mixed with the gold of his hair and his skin, it was a deadly combination. Nico battled with the urge to both run away from and run toward the beautiful son of Apollo, and he compromised by shuffling slowly toward him. 

Will was surrounded by the smaller Apollo campers. The older ones were off with their friends. Nico spotted Kayla across the way chatting with some Ares guy whose arm was in a sling, and Austin was off to the side, holding his saxophone and silently going through the fingerings of some song, next to some girl who was holding a clarinet. Nico had gotten to know both of them during his incarceration. When Will wasn’t around they’d come check on him or chat with him. Austin had even played him some music, and Nico had to admit it was pretty good. 

Nico recognized the littlest Apollo sister, nine year old Chelsea, from the infirmary as well. She had shown promise as a strong healer despite her young age, and Will was training her how to manage it. Nico had agreed to let her hold his hand and scan him or whatever it was they did, so she could learn what lingering darkness felt like. He’d also let her practice her bandaging skills on his ankles and wrists, though he’d drawn the line at letting her braid his hair and paint his nails, no matter how much she insisted that it had therapeutic properties. 

Aiden was ten and a half, and this was his first summer at camp. Nico had only met him once in the infirmary, and he’d been a patient in the next bed, not a part of the medical staff. He’d sprained his wrist badly falling from the lava wall. Will had clucked and groused, and eventually gotten pretty angry, when the kid kept begging for more ambrosia and nectar so he could just get back to normal instantly and make it to his piano lesson that afternoon. He’d left the infirmary in a huff, leaving Will in a lousy mood until Nico snapped him out of it with nonsensical knock-knock jokes. Aiden was in a much better mood tonight. His wrist was all healed, and he was very excited that he was going to sing tonight. 

There were a couple other kids hanging around Will pestering him, too. Nico didn’t recognize any of them. They seemed to be in the ten to twelve range, and Nico figured this had probably been their first summer at camp, no wonder he’d never seen them. 

“Mandy, put that down- Chelsea, you need to tie your shoe; you’re going to trip. Alex! Get off his head, I swear, I will drag this whole cabin straight to bed.” Will looked frazzled. “Nico, sorry, it’s a little crazy right now.” 

Nico shrugged and sat on the ground in front of Chelsea and tied her shoe. At the same time, he leveled Mandy a Look, and she promptly put down the marshmallow toasting fork that she’d been brandishing at Aiden. Alex scooted off the other sibling and watched Nico intently. 

“Are you gonna hang out with us tonight, Nico?” Chelsea asked. 

“Well, Will let me escape the infirmary, so… yeah,” he said. 

“You gonna sing something?” Aiden asked. “Do you know Uptown Funk? Cause you could do the background parts with me, you know.” 

“I don’t know it, I’m sorry,” Nico said. “But I’ll get to listen to you and I guess I’ll learn it that way.” He stood up from the dirt and sat on the end of the bench, leaving just enough space between himself and Solace that Chelsea wiggled into it, for which Nico was both grateful and disappointed. The other kids crowded into the bench just above them, struggling to sit as close to Nico as possible. They kept asking him questions until Austin stood up and moved toward the fire. He played a melody, a few bars of a jazzy little tune, to get everyone’s attention and call the sing-along to order. Chiron came forward and made a speech, then let Austin lead the evening, calling up the various acts in turn. 

Most of the Apollo kids, and some kids from other cabins as well, had songs to sing. Chelsea went with a bunch of other little girls and did some silly pop song. When she came back, she stood in front of Nico, big blue eyes looking pleadingly at him, and hopped up and down on one foot. 

“Can I?” she asked at last. 

“Can you what?” he replied, confused. 

“Sit on your lap,” she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. 

“Um.” Nico didn’t think that a child had ever sat on his lap in his entire life. “I… I guess?” She immediately climbed onto him and snuggled against his chest. Next to him, Will made a little noise, and when Nico looked up Will was staring with a soft, blissful expression. Nico understood; he was pretty blissful himself when he saw his little sister being happy and having a good time. And Will’s sister was pretty cute, one of the littlest kids at camp, and they all seemed to dote on and spoil her. Will reached out to pat Chelsea’s blonde head, and his eyes met Nico’s. He seemed poised to say something, but then looked away again. 

Some nymphs came forward with s’mores ingredients and laid them out on a table, and campers began to trickle down to the fire to make the treats. Will carefully toasted and assembled a few of them, while dodging the flaming marshmallow on Aiden’s fork, and balanced them carefully on a plate. He sat next to Nico, close enough that their knees bumped, and whispered into Nico’s ear “I put double chocolate in yours.” It was delicious, dripping with melty chocolate and marshmallow goo, and Nico devoured it and licked his fingers, leaning to the side to keep it out of Chelsea’s hair. She was somewhat less careful, her own s’more dripping onto her hair and clothes unchecked. When she finished, she wiped her fingers on her jeans but smeared it on Nico’s as well. 

“Oops,” she said, looking like she might start to cry. 

“No problem,” he assured her. “I have to do laundry soon anyway.” She relaxed again and yawned. 

“Mmm, I think it might be time to get some little ones to bed,” Will said, patting her back. 

“Five more minutes,” she said, snuggling against Nico. 

“Okay, but that’s it,” Will said sternly. 

Five minutes later, Will began herding the youngest of his siblings toward the cabin. “Hey, um, will you be here when I get back?” he asked Nico. 

“I… I guess so,” Nico said. “Does this go on for a while yet?” 

“Oh yes. Once the little kids are in bed and Chiron nods off, then we sing the really fun songs,” Will said. “Also we tell the scary stories. Anyway, let me get these kids dealt with. I’ll be back soon.” He walked off toward his cabin with the gaggle of kids swarming around him. 

Nico noticed Piper doing the same, shuffling a few young Aphrodite kids toward bed. Jason was walking along with her, an arm around her shoulder. He winked at Nico as he walked by. Nico scowled and moved closer to the fire to toast another marshmallow, burning it to a crisp on the outside. 

There was no order to the sing-along anymore. Someone would start singing a song, and the people around them would join in until it spread. Nico suffered through songs about burping, urination, and someone’s pink pajamas, before Will finally returned. 

“These are fun songs?” he whispered as Will sat down next to him. 

“Not having a good time? Okay, I’ll sing you one.” Will took a deep breath and began: 

“In the cabinet, in the bathroom, o’er the sinks whose faucets shine;   
stands a funny little bottle and they call it iodine.   
Oh you funny, oh you funny, oh you funny iodine;   
You don't taste good with a cookie but for boo-boos you’re just fine.” 

There was a little giggling around the campfire, and someone across the way started half-heartedly singing some of the proper verses to Clementine, but was quickly replaced by a loud rendition of On Top of Spaghetti. Will looked at Nico. “Was that okay?” 

“Yeah,” Nico said. “That was funny. I’ve never heard that variation before. And your voice is nice.” 

“Wow. Thank you, I suck compared to my siblings but… thanks.” He ran his hand through his hair, clearly flustered. 

Someone a few benches away brought out a guitar and started playing pop songs that everyone seemed to know the words too. Nico found that he didn’t mind at all that he didn’t know the music, not with Will sitting next to him singing his heart out. Nico’s hand itched with the desire to grab Will’s, but he stubbornly stuffed his hands in his coat pocket instead. 

The fire started to die down and with it, the music. Kayla and Austin started putting away instruments and equipment. Curfew was fast approaching. Nico stood up. “I had better get to bed. Don’t want my doctor to think I’m overdoing it. So. Um. See you tomorrow.” He started to walk away from the amphitheater. 

“Nico, wait,” Will said, jumping up from his seat. “Can I maybe walk you back to your cabin?” 

Nico froze. Why on Earth would Solace want to walk him back to his cabin? Surely he didn’t think that Nico couldn’t handle the walk alone. A suspicion began to grow in Nico’s heart, but he stuffed it down quickly. No sense in letting himself hope, that was too much to hope for. “S-sure,” he found himself saying, and they strode off together. Out of the corner of his eye, Nico noticed that everyone else seemed to be leaving in pairs, too. Travis and Katie. Clarisse and Chris. Percy and Annabeth. Kayla and Billie. Nico had to stop himself from staring when he realized that they were holding hands. 

“I really liked being here with you tonight,” Will said. He walked slowly, strolling at a leisurely pace as if he wanted this to take as long as possible. 

“Me- me too,” Nico said. _Real smooth, di Angelo_ , he thought to himself. _You sound like an idiot._ “I just wish I knew the songs.” 

Will chuckled. “If only you could find an Apollo kid who’d love to spend some time playing you all his favorite songs. Seriously Nico, you should come by our cabin tomorrow. We have iPods full of recent stuff, hundreds of CDs, even older stuff on cassettes and records. We could, like, do a history of music thing and catch you up. I mean, I’m not great at singing or theory or anything but…” 

“That sounds great,” Nico said. “And you have a good voice, you really do. When I was in the infirmary, at night I’d hear you singing in your office and it would help me calm down and sleep when-” He cut himself off abruptly; he did not want to talk about the nightmares. They slowed down; Nico’s cabin steps were just a few yards away now. He turned toward Will. “After breakfast tomorrow, maybe?” 

“If no one else lands in the infirmary by then, yes.” Will took a step closer to him, now standing just a few inches away. Nico could have reached out and touched him, but he kept his hands at his side. Will took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. Nico thought he could hear Will’s heart pounding. “Nico… you… you’re so… I just… I really want to kiss you. If. If you want me to. Can I?” 

Nico stared at the blushing boy in front of him. Gods, he was so beautiful. He practically shone, even in the scant moonlight through the trees. And this lovely boy really wanted to kiss him? He felt that little flicker of hope that he’d kept trying to smother blossom and explode in his chest. Will Solace wanted to kiss him; him, Nico di Angelo. It was real, it wasn’t Nico’s stupid brain imagining things. Nico let his hand reach out and rest on Will’s shoulder as he leaned closer. “Uh-huh,” he heard himself utter, just before their lips touched. 

Will’s hands cradled his face, his fingertips soft against Nico’s cheeks. The kiss was gentle, Will’s lips sliding slowly across his. Nico wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do, but his other hand seemed inclined to go to Will’s waist, so he let it. His skin felt hot, burning Nico’s palm through the t-shirt. The hand that was on Will’s shoulder slid to the back of his neck, pulling him closer. Nico’s lips parted, without him really thinking about it, he just knew that he wanted more. Will hummed a little at that, the sound seemed to echo through Nico’s whole being. Will slid his fingers into Nico’s hair and tilted his head to the side, just so, and his mouth opened even more, their lips moving, moving against each other. Will’s mouth tasted wonderful, amazing, like chocolate and perfected toasted marshmallows. Hesitantly, the tip of his tongue touched Nico’s. Then, far too soon, Will was pulling away. He cupped Nico’s cheek, his thumb stroking over his lips. 

“Was that okay?” Will asked. 

“Uh-huh,” Nico said weakly. Gods, couldn’t he say anything else? “That was…” What could he say to describe that experience that wouldn’t sound lame by comparison, especially when words were failing him ? 

“I’m kind of hoping to do it again,” Will said, pressing his forehead against Nico’s. “On a regular basis, maybe? I like you so much, Neeks. I want this. Us. To be together, a couple, dating, you know? You don’t- you don’t have to answer now, you could think about it for a while, if you-” 

“Shut up, Solace,” Nico said, grabbing his face. His cheeks were soft, with just a hint of stubble scratching Nico’s palms. “Yes. Yes, I’ll go steady with you. Now kiss me goodnight and get back to your cabin before the harpies come out.” The conch was sounding for curfew as Will kissed Nico again, slower and softer, before pulling away and running off into the night. 

Nico watched until Will was safely inside the Apollo cabin before slipping into his own. He dropped onto the bed, on top of the covers, and replayed the last ten minutes in his mind, cementing the memory. He then let his mind wander back to every conversation with Will. Every look, every joke and smile, should these have been clues? When did this start? Had Will been thinking about kissing him earlier, too? His brain felt so full, entirely full of Will Solace. It was a good feeling. 

Nico finally got up to slip out of his clothes and crawl beneath the covers. He soon drifted off to sleep, his fingers touching his lips, remembering the feel of Will’s lips there. 

**Author's Note:**

> I read a lot of stupid campfire songs before I found that iodine one and figured, eh, Solace probably knows that one for sure. Corny, medical, dorky. Yep.


End file.
